Thousands of bands will play the CMJ Music Marathon this year, but some Baltimore bands have claimed today as their day: Lands & Peoples, Secret Mountains, Adventure and (formerly of Baltimore) the Death Set all have shows scheduled.

CMJ is an annual smorgasbord of music that attracts thousands of upstart bands hoping to draw attention and industry players looking for the next break-out. And then there are the fans who come for the cluster of official showcases, unofficial sideshows in anonymous Brooklyn clubs and the occasional, quasi-secret Kanye West gig.

The festival began today and ends Saturday. Talib Kweli, Neon Indian and Dum Dum Girls are some of the other bands playing.

In scope, if not in influence, CMJ is similar to SXSW, Austin's veteran music festival. But where SXSW attracted a small flotilla of Baltimore bands this year, only a handful normally play the New York festival. Lower Dens, Cotton Jones, Deakin, Clutch, and Animal Collective's Avey Tare were among those featured last year.

This year, area bands have six shows between them. If you're in New York, here's a handy guide:

Adventure: Electronic musician Benny Boeldt released a new album, "Lesser Known," that is as spastic as his live shows. He's playing official showcases Tuesday 9 p.m. at Public Assembly, 70 North 6th Street Brooklyn. And later at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at Cameo Gallery, 93 North 6th Street, Brooklyn.

The Death Set: The former Baltimore residents, released earlier this year a life-affirming new album, "Michel Poiccard," that reflects on the death of bandmember Beau Velasco. It was produced by Baltimore's XXXChange, and features cameos by Diplo and another Baltimore native, Spank Rock. Tuesday, 8 p.m. at Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St.

Secret Mountains: The Maryland sextet landed an official showcase this year; they released an EP, "Rejoice," last year, and a single, "Weepy Little Fingers," earlier this year. They were part of a showcase early Tuesday at Spike Hill with frequent tourmates Lands & Peoples. And, they perform again Tuesday 8 p.m. at Trash Bar, 256 Grand Street, Brooklyn.

After Billy Joel finished “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” — the fifth song of his two-hour-plus performance at M&T Bank Stadium Saturday night — to huge applause, the 66-year-old singer/songwriter smirked from his center-stage piano chair. He then asked a question, already well aware of the answer.

The other shoe has dropped on Zayn Malik’s new direction, with an announcement Thursday that the singer and songwriter who exited boy band One Direction in March has signed a solo recording contract with RCA Records.

A burst of thunderstorm activity across the Chicago area in Sunday afternoon resulted in multiple injuries and a death at an event in west suburban Wood Dale, the collapse of a dome in northwest suburban Rosemont and the temporary evacuation of the music festival Lollapalooza in Grant Park downtown.